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Evil Spirit

by John Walter Biles

In the lands of the Ethengars and in some other places, it is possible for spirits to pass in and out of Mystara and their home, the Spirit World. Ethengar shamans train to deal with such beings.

Common Spirit Powers (Possessed by all)

Materialise/Dematerialise (standard, at-will)
Spirits may turn immaterial (or back to normal) as a standard action. This gives them Fly 6, the Insubstantial Quality, and Invisibility. A spirit may only effect other dematerialised spirits when immaterial. Dematerialised spirits are not invisible to each other.
Cantrips (standard; at-will)
Spirits may use any of the standard wizard cantrips; the most mischievous spirits use them A LOT to mess with people.

Many evil Spirits roam the world from the Land of Black Sand. All of them have the following power in addition to normal Spirit powers:
Humanoid Forms (minor; at-will) ✦ Polymorph
An Evil spirit can alter its physical form to appear as any kind of humanoid between 5’ and 7’, including Animal Spirit-like forms (see Change Shape, page 280 of the MM). These may be used to fight, trick or seduce. They can also take on their true form, which rather resembles a Shadow or Wraith.

They range from the mischievous to the highly malevolent; many know some rituals, especially malevolent ones. They may range all the way from first to 31st level; a few example ones are given below.

Harassing Spirit Level 3 Controller
Medium Immortal humanoid XP 150
Initiative +3 Senses Perception +2
HP 44; Bloodied 22
AC 17; Fortitude 14, Reflex 15, Will 14
Speed 6
m Punch (standard; at-will) | Martial
+8 vs. AC; 1d6+3 Necrotic Damage + slowed (save ends)
Gaze of Fear (standard; at-will) | Arcane, Fear
+7 vs. Will; target takes 1d6+3 psychic damage and is pushed 3.
Invisibility (standard; Refresh 5-6)
The Harassing Spirit turns invisible until it attacks someone or the encounter ends.
Ritual Magic
About half of Harassing Spirits know magic beyond Cantrips.
Materialise/Dematerialise (standard; 2/day)
As the common power
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Ethengarian, Supernal
Skills Bluff +7, Insight +7, Stealth +8, Thievery +10
Str 12 (+2) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 13 (+2)
Con 12 (+2) Int 17 (+4) Cha 8 (+0)
Equipment Stolen Things

Harassing spirits like to make life difficult for people; they cut saddle straps, feed your horse your fine bourbon, dye your clothing with fungal foot rot, and appear from nowhere at crucial moments to panic your horse so it runs off a cliff. They only fight if they have to, preferring to run away, turn invisible, and come back to make your life hell later.

Robber Spirit Level 6 Lurker
Medium Immortal humanoid XP 250
Initiative +11 Senses Perception +8
HP 58; Bloodied 29
AC 20; Fortitude 18, Reflex 20, Will 16
Speed 7
m Scimitar (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
The Robber spirit may move up to 3 squares, then attacks one target for +11 vs. AC; 1d8+5
Shortbow (standard; at-will( | Weapon
Ranged 15/30; +11 vs. AC; 1d8 +5
Ambush Skills
+1d6 damage when it has combat advantage on someone.
Materialise/Dematerialise (standard; 2/day)
As the common power
Skilful Sneak
Once in concealment, the Robber Spirit may enter stealth even if enemies have Line of Sight to him.
Sleight of Hand
The Robber Spirit only suffers a –5 penalty to use Thievery in combat to steal things.
Rituals
The Spirit knows the rites: Arcane Lock, Detect Secret Doors, Knock,
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Ethengarian, Supernal
Skills Arcana +11, Perception +8, Stealth + 14, Thievery +14
Str 14 (+5) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 11 (+3)
Con 16 (+6) Int 16 (+6) Cha 14 (+5)
Equipment Scale Armour, Scimitar, Longbow and Quiver of arrows.

Robber spirits travel in groups and ambush the unwary, especially those on a holy quest. They love to accumulate gold, silver, and jewels. They use their ritual magic to break into place when necessary, but more commonly to open or seal chests, as fortresses and fortified shops are short in supply.

Seducing Spirit Level 8 Controller
Medium Immortal humanoid XP 350
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +5
HP 86; Bloodied 43
AC 22; Fortitude 20, Reflex 20, Will 19
Speed 6; Fly 9
Resist: Cold 20
m Icy Touch (standard; at-will) | Cold
+13 vs. AC; 1d8+5 Cold and 5 ongoing Cold damage
Grab (standard; at-will)
+11 vs. Reflex; as standard Grab attack
Frozen Kiss (standard; at-will, but only on grabbed targets) | Weapon
+11 vs. Fortitude; 2d6+5 Cold and the Spirit recovers 10 HP.
The Chill of Winter (standard; refresh 5-6) | Cold
Close Burst 1; +11 vs. Fortitude; 2d6+5 Cold
Snowstorm (standard; refresh 5-6) | Cold
Close Burst 5; +11 vs. Fortitude; 1d4+5 Cold and all target squares grant concealment until the end of your next turn; Sustain Minor: all target squares grant concealment for another turn
Too Pretty to Hit (standard; encounter)
Once per encounter, the Spirit may force a foe to reroll a successful attack on it, taking the second result.
Desirable (Standard; encounter)
This power adds +5 to all charisma skills for the purpose of seduction; it lasts the entire encounter or until the Seducing Spirit seduces someone or someone scores an Insight critical against it.
Change Shape (minor; at-will) ✦ Polymorph
The Seducing spirit can alter its physical form to take on the appearance of any Medium humanoid, including a unique individual (see Change Shape, page 280).
Materialise/Dematerialise (standard; 2/day)
As the common power
Alignment Evil, usually Languages Common, Ethengarian, Supernal
Skills Bluff +14 (19), Diplomacy +14 (19), Intimidate +14 (19), Stealth +11
Str 10 (+4) Dex 14 (+6) Wis 13 (+5)
Con 14 (+6) Int 17 (+7) Cha 20 (+9)
Equipment Illusionary

Seducing spirits are winter spirits who long for the body heat of humanoids to warm themselves. They generally observe people and turn into their lovers or someone their target wishes loved them. (Several Ethengar legends revolve around them posing as a woman’s husband when he’s off to war for a long time.) They are extremely adept at seduction. However, they’re notorious in Ethengar legendry for being easy to seduce themselves and not very good at all at seeing through the lies and deceptions of others. A handful of stories concern ones who took the place of someone’s dead loved one and lived as them for years or even decades, before the secret came out and tragedy ensued.

Greater Blight Spirit Level 14 Controller
Medium Immortal humanoid XP 1000
Initiative +12 Senses Perception +18
HP 138; Bloodied 69
AC 28; Fortitude 25, Reflex 26, Will 27
Speed 6; fly trailing flame 8
Resist Fire 20 Vulnerable Cold 5 Water 5/15*
m Searing Touch (standard; at-will) | Fire
+17 vs. Fortitude; 2d8+6 Fire
Wither (Standard; Refresh 4-6) | Fire
Close Burst 2; +17 vs. Fortitude; 1d10+6 Fire and all normal plant life dies
Grass fire (Standard; Refresh 6) | Fire, Zone
14 adjacent squares within 10; all target squares must have flammable substances within them; any creature inside the Zone at its creation or who begins its turn inside the zone takes 2d6+6 Fire damage; anyone adjacent to the zone at the start of their turn takes 1d8+6 Fire damage.
Materialise/Dematerialise (standard; 3/day)
As the common power
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Ethengarian, Supernal
Skills Acrobatics +17, Nature +18, Perception +18
Str 18 (+11) Dex 20 (+12) Wis 23 (+13)
Con 18 (+11) Int 14 (+9) Cha 8 (+6)
Equipment

Greater Blight Spirits are hateful spirits of the summer heat who love to wither plants and start grass fires. They like to extort bribes from clans and tribes to avoid the destruction of the precious grass needed for clans to survive. However, they are especially vulnerable to water. An amount of water about the size of a large mug will inflict 5 points of damage on them, and contact with large amounts of water (being pushed into a stream, lake, etc) inflicts 15 points a round on them. They are often accompanied by Lesser Blight Spirits (who are usually around Level 6-8).

Cry of Vengeance Spirit Level 18 Soldier
Medium Immortal humanoid XP 2000
Aura 2: Bloodied targets take 1d10+7 necrotic damage if they begin their turn within the aura.
Initiative +12 Senses Perception +13
HP 170; Bloodied 85
AC 34; Fortitude 29, Reflex 30, Will 31
Speed 6
m Soul Stealing Touch (standard; at-will) | Weapon
+23 vs. Fortitude; 2d8+7 necrotic; the spirit gains temporary HP equal to the amount inflicted.
R Wail of Rage (standard; at-will) | Fear, Psychic
Ranged 20; +23 vs. Will; 2d6+7 Psychic and push target 6
Steal The Heart of Defence (standard; Refresh 5-6)
+23 vs. Reflex; 2d8+7 and one defence of the Cry’s choice drops by 6 until the end of the next turn. Sustain Minor: The defence lowering effect lasts another turn.
Cry For Vengeance (Immediate Interrupt when hit; Refresh Bloodied)
Close Burst 5; +23 vs. Will; everyone affected by this takes an immediate basic melee or ranged attack on the person who hit the spirit; these attacks do not provoke opportunity attacks)
Ritual Magic
Cry of Vengeance Spirits know a variety of rites for animating and controlling the undead
Materialise/Dematerialise (standard; 3/day)
As the common power
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Ethengarian, Supernal
Skills Arcana +14, History +14, Religion + 18
Str 18 (+11) Dex 20 (+12) Wis 23 (+13)
Con 18 (+11) Int 14 (+9) Cha 8 (+6)
Equipment

Cry for Vengeance Spirits resemble a bleeding corpse shrouded in shadows. Cry for Vengeance Spirits sometimes appear to embody the anger of someone at the losses they have suffered from a battle. The spirit then animates the dead and seeks to take out a terrible revenge on whoever its accidental summoner blames for the whole affair. Anyone who gets in the way of this will also be trampled down and slain. (A source of tragedy in some Ethengar legends.)

Hatred of Heldann Spirit Level 26 Elite Brute
Medium Immortal humanoid XP 18000
Aura 1: Anyone who starts within his aura is the subject of a basic melee attack from him. He gets +3 against Ethengars or any Cleric of one of the Ethengar Immortals.
Initiative +17 Senses Perception +21
HP 592; Bloodied 296
AC 39; Fortitude 39, Reflex 34, Will 37
Speed 8
m Two-Handed Sword (standard; at-will) | Weapon
+29 vs. AC; 4d6+9.
R Taunt the Coward (standard; at-will) | Psychic
Ranged 20; +27 vs. Will; 2d8+9 Psychic and pull target 6
Vengeance of Vanya (standard; at-will)
The Hatred of Heldann Spirit may take 2 Two-Handed Sword Attacks
Slaughter in Her Name (Immediate Interrupt when hit; Refresh Bloodied)
Close Burst 1; +30 vs. Reflex; 4d10+9 and prone (save ends)
Burst of Speed (Move, Refresh 5-6)
The Spirit moves up to 16 squares as a normal move; it is still vulnerable to opportunity attacks.
Ritual Magic
Hatred of Heldann Spirits know 6 or more Religion based rituals of the DM’s choice.
Materialise/Dematerialise (standard; 5/day)
As the common power
Alignment Evil Languages Common, Ethengarian, Heldanner, Supernal
Skills History +21, Intimidate + 25, Religion +26, Stealth +22
Str 29 (+22) Dex 18 (+17) Wis 26 (+21)
Con 26 (+21) Int 16 (+16) Cha 24 (+20)
Equipment Plate Armour, Two-Handed Sword, Warhorse

The Heldanners and Ethengars have hated each other for centuries; some of the most potent evil spirits take on the form of a Heldanner to terrorise Ethengars; in recent years, they have adopted the appearance of undead Heldannic Knights. They favour surprise attacks on camps at night. They often command forces of other spirits in their assaults.